DISCLAIMER - From Eroica With Love and its characters is the copyright
of Yasuko Aoike and Princess Comics and no infringement is intended. The
story, such as it is, is copyright Karen Colohan, February 2002.

Author's note - the beautiful artwork is courtesy of
Nina, to whom I owe many, many
thanks!

Klaus von dem Eberbach prowled around the unusually crowded hallways of Schloss
Eberbach and surveyed the scenes of unrestrained merriment and borderline
debauchery with extreme distaste. His fuming was silent - for the moment
- but it would take very little to set him off on an ear-splitting rant.
Frankly, he would have found such an opportunity exceedingly therapeutic
at that moment.

Klaus hated parties. Especially those which were foisted upon him against
his will. Even more so when he was forced to host them in the normally sedate
surroundings of his own home. And it only made it worse that the request
to use the Schloss as the venue for the departmental Christmas party had
come directly from that fat slug of a Chief.

It would have given Klaus great pleasure to refuse - what did he care for
budget restraints and the impossibility of catering appropriately for so
many agents on the purportedly pitiful sum allocated by the finance department?
However, the request had been phrased in such a way that it was very clear
that lack of co-operation on his part was not an option. That the Chief had
then piled indignity upon indignity by decreeing it was to be a fancy dress
party - failure to wear a costume also not an option, regardless of rank
- was the final bit of sadism... or would have been, had Agent G not come
back from the costume hire shop with bad news for Klaus...

Upon the Chief's insistence that fancy dress was indeed mandatory for the
goddamned party, Klaus had returned to his office in a less than tranquil
mood. Seating himself behind his desk he turned and sought out Agent G with
his eyes.

"G, get over here!" he barked at the petite blond agent.

Managing his tight skirt and heels with admirable aplomb, G was quick to
obey. He'd been a member of the Alphabet long enough to recognise the imminent
detonation of the major's fiery temper. He had no desire to be the one to
set it off; the fallout was never pretty.

"Sir?" he enquired respectfully.

"You know about dressing up in stupid clothes," said Klaus without preamble.
He gave the agent's smart but feminine outfit a distasteful glance. "Get
me a costume for this fancy dress nonsense - nothing indecent or foppish,
mind. And no women's clothing, d'you understand?"

G paled slightly as Klaus' gaze strayed momentarily to the poster of Alaska
which adorned one wall of the office. "At once, sir."

He backed away as quickly as he dared, aware of the looks of commiseration
cast his way by his fellow agents.

Several hours later, despite the seasonal chill outside, G was sweating inside
his chic suit as he returned to the office. Christmas was, it seemed, a popular
time for fancy dress parties and at this late stage G's choice had been limited
- extremely limited, in fact, thanks to the limitations placed upon him by
the major. G would not have given himself a very great life expectancy had
he returned with either the pantomime dame costume or the gorilla suit which
had been his only other options.

Even now, it was only with considerable trepidation that G approached Klaus,
burdened with a large, gaudy plastic suit carrier.

"Well?" snapped Klaus, eyeing the carrier and his agent both with equal
misgiving.

"Sir," began G, "please understand that I did everything I could, but all
the best costumes were already hired out."

Klaus sighed, his meagre patience waning still further. "Show me."

G swallowed audibly as he stepped forward and placed the bag on the desk.
Carefully he began to unzip it. He was already mentally cataloguing his warmest
outfits in anticipation of the major's probable response. He pulled the large
carrier open and from it spilled a cascade of material - all of it an intensely
offensive shade of red.

"What the fuck is that?" Klaus grated out at last.

G cowered back. "Your costume, sir," he replied miserably. "It was the only
appropriate thing they had left in your size..."

"It's red," said Klaus, trying to keep his voice even and barely succeeding.

And then the petite agent knew that what had gone before was merely the calm
before the storm. Klaus' temper, which had been simmering before, exploded.
G weathered it as best he could. After all, the major would have to
wear the costume - he had no choice. The clever Chief had made an order of
it and Major Eberbach never openly disobeyed an order. It wasn't much
consolation, but G took whatever he could get as he endured the full force
of the major's high decibel verbal lashing.

The ensuing rage had left Klaus' face very nearly as red as the suit in question.
He had - orders notwithstanding - almost refused to wear the wretched thing
and damn the consequences. However, a few well- placed threats by the Chief
had secured his marginal obedience.

For one, Klaus would do pretty much anything to avoid being assigned to a
mission with that idiot Lawrence ever again. The man was a liability and
could cause chaos without even trying. Added to that, the mere mention of
an undercover operation requiring him to spend protracted periods of time
confined in close quarters with Eroica was enough to have him trying the
outfit on for size.

Even so, his acquiescence only went so far. Which meant that Klaus was in
attendance as a positively slim-line Father Christmas, devoid of both white
beard and jaunty red cap. Even after that small rebellion he still felt utterly
ridiculous. And if his wretched butler so much as looked at him the wrong
way in this verdammte ensemble then he'd be out on his ear before morning,
length of service to the Eberbach family notwithstanding.

"Yoo hoo, Santa Klaus!" A laughing voice with an unmistakable English accent
rang out suddenly from behind Klaus. "'S me! How lovely to see you - and
getting into the swing of things, too. Merry Christmas! Oh, and red really
is your colour, darling. I always suspected as much. It looks utterly
divine with your hair; you should wear it more often."

Klaus growled low in his throat as the lilting voice prattled on, floating
its inane chatter ever closer on a whisper of rose scent. It seemed the evening
could still get worse...

Eroica, NATO Bonn's most esteemed contractor simply had to be invited
to attend the party. Or so that faggot of a Chief had insisted, declaring
that Eroica would surely feel snubbed if he were excluded from the guest
list. And, if that happened, he might refuse ever to work for them again.

Privately, Klaus thought that would be just fine with him, but - once again
- the Chief was adamant. When Klaus had entertained brief thoughts of rebellion,
the words 'desk job' had been prominent in the Chief's reply.

Finally, Klaus had given in to the inevitable and issued the requested
invitation. Consequently, he'd better be at least marginally civil to Eroica
now - for 30 seconds or so, anyway, there was no point in overdoing it -
just to pander to the old slug's sadistic whims. Then he could stomp off
somewhere quiet and let the rest of those idiots get on with their self-
appointed task of getting as drunk as they could manage, as quickly as possible.

Plastering a patently insincere expression on his face Klaus
turned to greet Eroica. He froze almost at once, though, as he caught his
first glimpse of the blond thief and what he was wearing. His words seemed
to stick in his throat and for a long moment Klaus could only gawk at the
other man, green eyes wide with startled disbelief.

Tight, black, glove-soft leather seemed to encase every last inch of Eroica's
anatomy. And the one-piece suit came equipped with a long, padded leather
tail, forked at the tip. This was currently draped negligently over one arm.
And, whether by accident or design, that tip pointed downwards, provocatively
drawing the eye towards Dorian's leather encased groin like a homing beacon.

The thief had no other adornment but his bright blond hair, and that tumbled
over his shoulders in a golden cascade of curls that provided the perfect
contrast to the dark outfit.

Klaus did not generally consider himself to have a particularly vivid
imagination; in this case it really didn't matter. The sleek suit left nothing
at all to be imagined - every line and curve was outlined in perfect,
eye-catching detail.

click on picture above to see the full size version

For a moment Klaus nearly choked, but eventually he mastered himself and
regained the use of his vocal chords.

"What in God's name have you come as?" Klaus demanded. He knew his own face
must be red; he could feel the heat in his cheeks... and other places. Resolutely
he kept his eyes on Dorian's face as he waited for an answer.

As he watched the delightful flush spread over Klaus' fair skin, Dorian gave
a lascivious grin.

"God has very little to do with it, darling. I'm a devil -" Your own,
personal demon, Klaus... he added silently. "- can't you tell?" Dorian
caught up his leather tail and twirled it suggestively in Klaus' direction.

The major instantly backed away, out of reach.

"Hmph! I always knew you were the devil incarnate," Klaus muttered darkly.

With a smirk, Dorian leaned back in close. It was unusual to see the major
quite this rattled - when he was, he usually hid it better - and so Dorian
decided to push his luck a little. Surely Klaus wouldn't dare kill him with
all his Alphabet and their Chief around as potential witnesses. Besides,
it was Christmas, the season of goodwill to all men... Hopefully that
extended to encompass blond British art thieves.

"Then again," Dorian purred, his voice soft and honey-sweet. "Maybe I'm just
dressed as every wet dream you've ever had about me..."

Instead, Klaus couldn't seem to prevent his eyes from tracking downward once
more; his gaze coming to rest just - there. The leather really was
very tight...

Following that green-eyed stare, Dorian couldn't help but grin. More than
a hint of triumph sparkled in his own eyes. He tossed his blond curls in
mute invitation, then couldn't resist adding, out loud -

"Oh yes, darling, take a good long look. If you're Santa, well, perhaps I'm
your present. Right here, just waiting to be unwrapped..." Begging
to be, in fact.

The words penetrated the numb haze that seemed to have enveloped Klaus. He
blinked, then tore his eyes away from the temptations of Dorian's body. What
the fuck was he thinking?

For just a second grey-green eyes met liquid blue, their gazes meshing.

Then Klaus gave a strangled growl, low in his throat. Without another word
to Dorian he turned and stomped off down the hallway. He was swearing viciously
under his breath, cursing fat, faggot Chiefs, idiot agents and perverted
thieves.

Dorian stood and watched him leave, feeling gloriously exhilarated. There
was no doubt, despite his expected angry retreat, that Klaus had got himself
a good eyeful of what Dorian had to offer before he'd fled the field.

Twirling a golden curl absently round one slender finger, Dorian immediately
began to plan how he could ambush Klaus again... this time, somewhere much
more private.

As the evening wore on the party became steadily more unruly as the participants
became truly drunk and disorderly. Dorian, however, remained on the fringes
of the affair, content to observe what happened when a roomful of Alphabets
collectively let their hair down. In some cases, he found, the results were
quite surprising. Who would have guessed what lay beneath A's quiet efficiency
or Z's politely reserved innocence...

Dorian himself was barely drinking at all. He was determined to keep his
wits about him after the earlier encounter with Klaus. For the first time
in all the years that he'd known him, Dorian was certain he'd seen genuine
desire in Klaus' eyes - at least, until he'd come back to his senses and
buried the emotion in a characteristic display of temper.

If he cornered the man and forced the issue, Dorian knew he would be playing
with fire. Yet he was also aware that this was probably the best chance he'd
ever get to find out if Klaus returned the feelings he had for him, even
a little.

He'd pushed hard once or twice before, when Klaus had seemed more approachable
than normal. The result had always been the same. The major would freeze
- getting that utterly adorable 'deer in the headlights' expression on his
face - as if he had no idea what to do when Dorian really invaded his personal
space. And yet nothing ever came of it beyond the loosening of a few of those
interminable layers of clothing the major wore or the briefest of kisses.
Each time Klaus had regained control before desire could ignite and he'd
retreated, leaving Dorian to reflect on another missed opportunity.

Not this time. There was nowhere else for Klaus to run - this was
his bolt-hole. Perhaps on home ground he would feel secure enough to let
Dorian in. The blond thief sighed. How glorious it would be if he finally
managed to snare his beloved major. The perfect Christmas gift - for both
of them.

There was just one small flaw in Dorian's plan. Since their encounter, Klaus
had been conspicuous by his absence - though it was doubtful that anyone
but Dorian had missed him. How was he supposed to seduce the man if he didn't
know where he was? Refusing to be daunted, Dorian went in search of his elusive
prey.

Dorian had been to the Schloss quite a few times and he knew the layout of
the place nearly as well as its owner did. He also knew the major. Klaus
was charmingly predictable sometimes. After brief investigations of the library
and the music room - both empty and dark - Dorian set off for the gun room.

His instinct was soon proved to be accurate. Dorian could smell the familiar
smoky fragrance of the major's strong cigarettes long before he opened the
door to reveal Klaus himself.

Incongruous in the vivid red of his Santa Claus suit, Klaus sat at a table
meticulously reassembling his Magnum after giving it a thorough cleaning.
The familiarity of the disciplined routine had helped to calm him after his
earlier, inexplicable reaction to the sight of the Earl of Gloria in his
utterly indecent outfit. Looking up, Klaus was less than pleased to find
the cause of his disquiet entering the room and carefully closing the door
behind him.

"Get out!" Klaus ordered, glowering at the thief.

The skin-tight leather suit looked no less decadent upon his second inspection
of its sleek lines than it had the first time. Klaus clutched at the newly
assembled Magnum convulsively. Its weight and familiar contours in his hand
were a lifeline he held onto with vague desperation as the blond-haired man
who had so bedevilled him slowly approached. At least the idiot had the sense
to look a little nervous as he drew near.

"No," came the steady reply.

Dorian felt just as nervous as he appeared to be. He was never comfortable
around guns and the other powerful weapons that Klaus favoured. He was also
uncertain of the major's mood. Were any of the guns loaded? And, if they
were, what if he provoked Klaus too far? Dorian clearly remembered what it
felt like to have Klaus hold a loaded gun to his forehead. He had been utterly
terrified and it was not an experience he had any wish to repeat.

But gaining ones heart's desire wasn't supposed to be easy, Dorian reflected.
If he wanted to win Klaus he had to be prepared to take a risk.

The major's flat green stare was faintly disturbing, but Dorian held his
head high and walked all the way over to where he sat.

Klaus didn't move, simply watched the lithe figure until Dorian stopped,
scant inches away from him. That close, Klaus could smell the subtle scent
of roses, overlaid by the more masculine aroma of skin-warmed leather. Calmly
he inhaled the last of his cigarette, grinding out the stub in an already
overflowing ashtray. His fingers itched to reach for another, but he held
still - waiting.

"Who says I was running?" said Klaus, the set of his mouth stubborn as he
looked up and met the thief's eyes with his own.

Dorian raised blond brows in disbelief. "What else would you call it? I know
you were looking earlier... and that you liked what you saw."

All at once, Klaus' shoulders seemed to slump in defeat. He looked away,
carefully setting the Magnum down on the table in front of him. "What else
can I do?" He sounded - tired.

Dorian frowned. Whatever reaction he had expected from the major, it wasn't
this. Had that one instant of honest lust really cost him so dear? What was
Klaus really afraid of? Dorian... or himself?

"You could come to bed with me," suggested Dorian, his voice very soft.

He wondered if Klaus feared he would not be wanted, now that he had shown
that brief moment of capitulation. Did he think the chase was all that Dorian
desired? If so, Dorian had no hesitation in showing Klaus that he was wrong.
Yes, he had enjoyed pursuing the elusive Iron Major, but Dorian had always
had every intention of catching him in the end - and of keeping him once
he did.

An angry retort rose to Klaus' lips at those words, but Dorian reached out
with a single finger. He pressed it gently across the major's mouth, sealing
the ill-considered reply inside.

"Don't..." he said simply.

Klaus frowned and pulled away from the intrusive touch. "The entire Alphabet
and my Chief are out there," he pointed out firmly. "And you expect me to..."

Dorian's blond curls flew as he shook his head emphatically. "It's Christmas,
Klaus. They're all far too drunk to know or care where you are or what you're
doing."

He decided that, perhaps, he should refrain from telling Klaus about the
drunken but enthusiastic clinch he'd caught Z and A furtively engaging in,
out on the terrace a little earlier. The two of them hadn't even noticed
Dorian was there. But if Klaus learned of it he'd probably feel duty bound
to tell A's wife, and that would never do. Let them have their moment of
fun. They probably wouldn't even remember it, come the morning.

And now, please God, let Klaus agree to his own momentary lapse of reason.
Let him succumb to Dorian's charms, even if it also proved to be only for
one night. Not that Dorian wanted to be denied in the morning; he
simply had no real expectations of Klaus' desire surviving into the cold
light of day. But even a single night would be better than never knowing...
and he could hope that the pleasures he would show the major, if given the
opportunity, might finally melt that iron reserve for good.

"I meant what I said earlier," Dorian informed Klaus, when he made no further
move either towards or away from him.

"What?" Klaus' brows drew down, puzzled.

"I can be your Christmas gift. Unwrap me, and I'm all yours." Dorian let
a warm smile lift the corners of his mouth, part invitation, part simple
encouragement. "No one else need ever know, if that's what's worrying you.
I don't want or need to shout it from the rooftops, Klaus, whatever you may
think."

Suddenly serious, Klaus looked up at the tall figure standing over him.
Strangely, he didn't feel threatened by Dorian's closeness, but he did feel
- something. Unsure what he ought to say, Klaus could only manage, "I don't
have anything to give you in return."

"Oh, darling..." Dorian's smile widened and faint amusement danced in his
eyes. "Only yourself - and that's all I want."

Again Klaus could only look puzzled as he met Dorian's sparkling blue gaze.
"I still don't know why you would want - me... I've never understood it."

Silvery laughter greeted his words. "Don't worry, I'll show you - very soon.
Now, do you have a way we can get upstairs without any risk of being seen?"

"Ja, there is a servants' stairway. It's just down the hall. No one uses
it any more." Klaus climbed to his feet, finding his eyes on a level with
the other man's now. He swallowed. "Dorian..."

"Hush, darling..." This time it was Dorian's lips that silenced Klaus.

It was only a brief, almost chaste kiss, but it seemed to set every nerve
in Klaus' body on fire. He stared at Dorian in wonder. It felt - incredible...
and Klaus knew he wanted to repeat the caress, and more. He found himself
wondering why he had been so afraid of this for all those years. Perhaps
because it did feel so good and Klaus was certain that a single taste
would never be enough for him. Yet he had always been unsure whether Dorian's
pursuit of him had really been anything more than a game to the thief. Now
he was even more afraid of finding out that's all it was.

Carefully, setting aside his doubts, Klaus placed one hand in the small of
Dorian's back, urging him towards the door. The dark leather was soft and
surprisingly warm under his fingers. Almost unconsciously, Klaus stroked
over it gently.

"Let's go," he ordered softly.

Dorian practically purred at the unexpected touch, arching his back into
the caress. He let himself be guided firmly out the door and down the hallway
to the promised stairs. Klaus was a warm presence at his back as they climbed,
and Dorian found himself shivering in anticipation.

Under his hand, Klaus could feel the faint quivering and he marvelled at
it. Was his touch doing that to Dorian?

His room wasn't far, and Klaus lengthened his stride, anxious to reach its
sanctuary. Dorian matched his pace, just as eager, it seemed. Klaus pushed
the door open with a sigh of relief, leading Dorian inside. As soon as he
had switched the light on, Klaus closed the door again with a firm shove
and then locked it. He wanted no intrusions.

Dorian stood in the middle of the room, looking round at his almost spartan
surroundings. The long, leather tail which formed part of his costume was
wound around his hands and Dorian fiddled with it a little uncertainly. Whose
was the next move now? His or Klaus'? Somehow he had never really expected
to get this far... He looked to the major for guidance, but Klaus appeared
to be every bit as unsure as he was.

"What now?" asked Dorian finally.

With a small, choked sound that might have been aborted laughter, Klaus shrugged.
"I was rather hoping, Dorian, that you would tell me."

Dorian gave a genuine laugh at that, his lips curving upward with wry amusement.
"What a pair we are, darling. Surely one of us can figure this out." He dropped
the leather tail and held out his arms. "Why don't you come over here and
kiss me, Klaus. Then we'll see where we go from there."

Klaus still wasn't certain what he was doing, let alone why. The one thing
he did know was that he was powerless to resist the lure of his very own
black-clad devil. Klaus stepped into the circle of Dorian's arms and felt
them tighten around his back. Dorian's head was tilted up towards him and
it was the easiest thing in the world to close the brief distance between
them and cover Dorian's lips with his own.

So Klaus did.

Dorian promptly melted against him - a warm, enticing weight literally plastered
to him from chest to hip. And one strong, leather-clad thigh slipped with
proprietary ease between his legs, pressing firmly against an erection Klaus
hadn't dared to admit to until now.

Of course, Dorian noticed at once and pulled back from the slow, almost hesitant
exploration of his mouth that Klaus had been indulging in. His smile was
dazzling as he insinuated his body even closer to the major's, revelling
in the undeniable evidence of Klaus' desire for him.

"Lovely," he murmured, his tongue stealing out to sweep over lips already
moist from Klaus' kiss.

Klaus barely restrained a groan at the sight. To distract himself, he slid
his hands down the smooth lines of Dorian's back, gliding over warm leather
until they came to rest on the delightfully firm swell of Dorian's buttocks.
He couldn't resist pulling the other man closer still, a move which did nothing
for his peace of mind. Dorian's thigh simply pressed even harder against
Klaus' erection and, at the same time, Klaus could feel the ridge of Dorian's
cock nudging his hip. Klaus closed his eyes at the sudden wash of sensation
and finally gave voice to a low groan.

"Dorian..." he growled. "Must you... do that?"

Soft laughter sounded close by his ear, accompanied by warm breath on the
sensitive skin of his neck. "Oh, I'm afraid I must, Klaus," replied Dorian
without mercy. He punctuated his words with gentle thrusts of his hips. "You
see, unless I'm very much mistaken, your body knows exactly what it likes...
and it seems to like me very much indeed."

"Damned tease!" Klaus accused, not denying it. He kept his eyes tightly shut,
though, not wanting to see Dorian's amusement at his expense.

Long fingers crept up the length of his spine - Klaus could feel their heat
clear through the slightly rough material of his Santa suit. Paradoxically,
their progress made him shiver; he felt the goosebumps forming on his skin.
At the same time, soft, damp lips teased at his neck and then his ear lobe,
sending a whole flurry of new sensations skittering along his nerve endings.

"You can try to ignore me as much as you like," Dorian whispered, his voice
rich with amusement. "But I know you can't manage it. You give yourself away
with every shiver and shudder... It's so like you, though, my poor stoic
darling, to try and deny all the pleasure you're feeling..."

"Care to elaborate on that a little?" Dorian's lips twitched in a half- smile.

"From what I expected and..." Klaus shrugged, his eyes darting away from
Dorian's a little uncomfortably. "With women," he finally explained, as the
thief still seemed to expect something more. "It never felt anything like
this when I was with a woman. Are you satisfied now?" he finished a trifle
petulantly.

Dorian suspected it would be wiser not to go the 'I told you so' route with
the major. It was unlikely to be appreciated; still it was good to be vindicated
after all this time. And all that really mattered was that Klaus' body knew
what it wanted; his brain would catch up with it soon enough. So Dorian kept
his tone light, gently teasing as he replied.

Klaus' green eyes fixed on him sharply. "You're not going to gloat then?"

Dorian raised blond brows in question, but said nothing.

"You were right about me all this time, or so it would seem. Aren't you going
to say anything?" Klaus seemed perplexed.

"What is there to say?" asked Dorian at last. He reached up, slipping his
fingers into the dark silk of Klaus' hair. "It won't change anything. Frankly,
I'd rather just enjoy you, now that I can. We have so much time to make up
for." He gave a soft sigh."This feels so lovely, darling. I don't want to
fight and spoil it."

"Not even so we could make up afterwards?" asked Klaus gruffly.

The trace of a smile curved Dorian's lips at the note of wry humour in Klaus'
tone. "Going by our past history, I'm sure we'll have lots of fights and
plenty of perfectly spectacular make up sex, Klaus, but not today. Right
now I think I'd like you to kiss me again. How about you?"

Klaus seemed to agree. He pulled the irrepressible thief firmly back against
him and then freed one hand so that he could thread it into the mass of
Dorian-scented golden curls. He used his grip to tilt Dorian's head just
where he wanted it and then bent to claim the warm lips once more.

They tasted of wine and spices - doubtless he had been sampling the mulled
wine being served downstairs - and the subtle tang of Dorian himself. Klaus
suspected he probably tasted strongly of cigarettes, but Dorian was polite
enough not to mention it. Indeed, the pliant mouth was moving under his own
without reservation, the lips parting to encourage him to slip his tongue
between them. The temptation was too much to resist and Klaus thrust into
moist heat, his tongue sliding over Dorian's in a slick caress.

For his part, Dorian was content to let Klaus do as much or as little as
he was comfortable with. He was more than happy simply to be alone with his
beloved major, locked securely in the privacy of his bedroom. That Klaus
was kissing him with every evidence of considerable enjoyment while he wound
himself around the major like a sturdy rosevine was an unexpected and pleasurable
bonus. As was the sensation of the thick, heavy cock that Dorian could feel
pressed hard against his thigh. The heat of it burned into his skin like
a brand. Klaus could not deny such an obvious reaction, nor could there be
any doubt what - or, rather, who - had caused it.

With his attention drawn unerringly back to that unmistakable sign of Klaus'
arousal, it occurred to Dorian that it would be even more pleasant - for
both of them - if he could get his hands on that heated flesh. He hoped Klaus
would second that particular motion - if he ever diverted his attention from
his self-appointed task of kissing Dorian breathless.

Once Klaus devoted himself to any given undertaking he approached it with
wholehearted determination and enthusiasm. Dorian was rather looking forward
to encouraging that single-minded pursuit of his goals in other, mutually
pleasurable, directions. For now, he just wanted inside Klaus' somewhat
voluminous Santa suit.

Klaus had cinched in all the excess fabric resulting from his refusal to
wear the padding that came with the costume by using his own favourite ox-hide
belt - the one Dorian had once stolen from right around his waist.

The sight of the familiar belt - now somewhat battered from long use - drew
a snort of amusement from the thief as he deftly unfastened the buckle. Moments
later he held his prize up in triumph. The red tunic, freed from its restraint,
now hung loosely about Klaus' hips.

The major released Dorian's lips, startled. As the strip of ox-hide was flaunted
under his nose by the incorrigible thief he couldn't help the laughter that
bubbled up, spilling over as he snatched the belt from Dorian.

"Gott verdammt, Dorian, how many times are you going to steal that from me?"
he demanded in mock annoyance.

"As many times as it takes for me to actually get inside your trousers,"
replied Dorian, straight-faced, but his blue eyes were dancing with mischief.

"Maybe I should just give it to you this time then," said Klaus, his tone
more serious. "The spoils of war..."

"Battle's not over yet," Dorian reminded him crisply.

"Isn't it?" Klaus' eyes caught and held the thief's.

"Oh no, there's still far too much clothing between me and my objective,"
Dorian assured him. "Besides, I'd rather you kept it and continued to wear
it. That way, I know you'll think of me every time you put it on - if you
don't already."

Klaus ducked his head, avoiding the knowing look in Dorian's eyes. Yes, of
course he remembered; how could he forget? Just like all the other times
Dorian had invaded his space and done something or other outrageous.

"I'm flattered, darling." Dorian's hand was under Klaus' chin, tilting his
head up until they were eye to eye again. "'s nice to know you found me so
memorable."

"You were always that," muttered Klaus with a sigh. "You made damn sure of
it."

"Well then, it's good to know it worked," replied Dorian with a quick grin.
He wriggled enticingly, tightening his arms around Klaus' waist and pulling
them close together. "And do I still have it? Will you remember this?"

"Every day for the rest of my life, probably," murmured Klaus wryly.

How could he possibly forget the novel sensation of a leather-clad devil
filling his arms and rubbing against him in that entirely perverted way until
his cock felt about ready to explode? And how would he ever get out of his
head the fact that, as appallingly wonderful as that felt, it wasn't even
close to being enough? Never, when Dorian's cock pressed hard against his
with every uninhibited squirm and wriggle the thief gave, promising so much
more.

"You know..." said Dorian conversationally, his hands skimming slowly down
to the hem of Klaus' red tunic. "If you really are Father Christmas, I do
think it's about time I got my present."

"Present?" Klaus looked at Dorian in something of a daze. He decided his
brain wasn't functioning properly - probably a side-effect of all those hormones
suddenly rampaging around his body. He hadn't got the thief a present; he'd
already told him that, hadn't he? There'd been no reason for him to even
consider doing such a thing - before this.

"Do you want me to sit on your knee? So you can ask me what I want and whether
I've been good this year," Dorian teased, continuing to rub against Klaus
and delighting in the very definite thrust of those strong hips he felt in
response. "It might be fun..."

Klaus was feeling even more dazed now, his cock throbbing with every rub
and press of Dorian's slender form. He had to admit that, just at the moment,
the thought of having a lapful of beautiful, golden-haired thief did sound
appealing. Anything to keep that wonderful pressure and friction that felt
so damned good...

"Ja," he agreed shakily.

For just a second Dorian held his breath, wondering if he'd heard correctly.
Then he looked into pleasure-hazed green eyes and knew that he had. Klaus
very definitely wanted this - wanted him. And what his beloved major
wanted...

Dorian finally let his hands slide under the edge of Klaus' tunic, seeking
bare skin. Frustratingly, he didn't find it. As ever, Klaus was armoured
in one of his modest undershirts beneath the red fabric. Dorian gave a low
growl and tugged at the soft cotton, relieved when Klaus didn't protest as
he pulled it out of the man's waistband.

Finally! thought Dorian as his hands burrowed underneath and at last
found skin - warm, smooth bare skin. He purred contentedly as he let his
palms glide upwards with slow strokes. All these years and he finally
had his hands on Klaus von dem Eberbach... and Klaus wasn't fighting him
off.

In fact, Klaus was staring at him with a strange expression on his face.
It was almost as if the major was seeing him for the first time.

"Does that feel nice, darling?" Dorian asked and, for the moment, there was
no teasing at all in his tone.

"Ja..." It seemed to be the only word Klaus was currently capable of uttering
- and it was quite inadequate to express what he was feeling. Then again,
'nice' didn't even come close either. The sensation of those warm hands moving
slowly over the bare skin of his back was, just then, beyond Klaus' ability
to describe. "Don't stop," he managed finally, green eyes locking onto
incandescent blue.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Dorian assured him, his spirits soaring at such
an admission from Klaus, that he wanted this to go on. Well, Dorian was more
than happy to oblige him there, but perhaps it was better to keep things
light and playful - to begin with, anyway. He didn't want to spook Klaus
now.

Dorian's hands continued their journey of exploration, travelling over new
expanses of heated skin. He drew them round to test out the firm muscles
of Klaus' enviably taut stomach and then moved up to trace the contours of
the strong, smooth chest. Delightful! But the prize he really wanted
lay downward... if Klaus would allow him that much leeway.

For just a moment Dorian pressed close again, leaning in to claim the major's
lips in a slow, coaxing kiss.

Not that Klaus seemed to need much encouragement to respond now. His mouth
opened under Dorian's without hesitation, welcoming the tongue that flicked
lazily at his own.

Dorian took advantage of the distraction to trail the fingers of one hand
down Klaus' belly to pause at the waistband of the loose red trousers. The
major didn't flinch or pull away from the touch and Dorian carefully ended
the kiss, nipping at Klaus' lower lip as he stepped back.

"Mmm," he purred, sounding almost indecently pleased with himself. "And just
what does Santa have in his sack for me to play with?"

Before Klaus could form a response of any kind, long fingers finally dived
inside his waistband, intent on just one thing. They quickly closed around
their goal, Klaus' swollen cock, which had already lengthened enough to push
free of the confines of his perfectly practical and modest boxers. The shock
of feeling a hand that most assuredly wasn't his own stroking confidently
and intimately over the heated flesh dragged a harsh, wordless gasp from
him.

At the same time, Dorian's lips were nuzzling at his jaw, nibbling and kissing
a path to his ear.

"Ohhh..."

The soft exhalation of breath ghosted warmly over his skin, making Klaus
shiver. He squeezed his eyes tight shut and tried to concentrate solely on
all the different sensations he was experiencing, without letting himself
think too much about just who was causing them. Not that Dorian made it easy
for him to forget...

"I must have been a very good boy this year," the thief chose that
moment to giggle breathlessly. "See what a lovely big present I have
here. Oh, but I think I want to unwrap it all now..."

And Dorian set about matching actions to his words. Reluctantly he withdrew
his hand, but only so he could use it, together with the other, to tug firmly
at the red trousers. They were no match for the determined thief and he quickly
had them pulled down over Klaus' hips.

It occurred to Klaus that he probably ought to be resisting what Dorian was
doing. Then he recalled just how good everything the thief had done thus
far had felt and abruptly told his conscience to shut the fuck up and cope.

As Dorian seemed to have matters well in hand as far as getting the lower
half of his body naked was concerned, Klaus helpfully opted to concentrate
on getting his torso in the same state.

Glancing up from where he had knelt at Klaus' feet - he was carefully untangling
the major from his boxers without causing the man irreparable damage - Dorian
was treated to the sight of Klaus stripping off the over-large red tunic
in one fluid movement. The thief held his breath as the undershirt followed,
leaving Klaus bare from the waist up. Damn, but the man was incredible!

With an effort, Dorian dragged his eyes back to his own task, finally succeeding
in extricating Klaus from the rest of his clothing. As he did, one large
hand touched his cheek and Dorian looked up again. He met wide eyes that
were dark with desire and pleaded silently with him for more. Dorian
was perfectly happy to grant it.

Klaus' cock was standing stiffly to attention and Dorian wrapped his hand
around it, stroking gently. A strangled moan sounded from somewhere above
him and strong fingers threaded deep into his curls, urging him forward.
Dorian gave a soft huff of laughter. Oh, when Klaus finally gave in to the
inevitable, he did so with a vengeance. Well, he wasn't going to make it
that easy for the major. The man had been holding out on him for years.
He could damn well be patient for a little longer.

Leaning in just a bit closer, Dorian blew a gust of warm breath over the
head of Klaus' cock. Another small gasp and a further imperative tug on his
curls answered him. Dorian grinned to himself. The major wasn't going to
be the one giving the orders here. A quick swipe of his tongue to learn Klaus'
taste and then Dorian was pulling back, resisting the major's efforts to
have more of his teasing mouth.

"Not so fast, darling," Dorian cautioned him, blue eyes glittering with
merriment. "I seem to recall a military man of my acquaintance leading me
a merry dance for... how many years exactly? And now you expect me to forgive
you for keeping me waiting just like that?"

"So, why wait any longer?" Klaus grated out, biting his lip to hold in the
entirely unseemly whimpers of need that threatened to spill out. "You needn't
on my account."

Dorian laughed softly at the major's less than successful attempt to maintain
his dignity. "Patience is a virtue... or so they tell me. Are you feeling
virtuous, Klaus?"

Declining to answer, Klaus merely growled as Dorian darted in to dispense
more teasing licks and caresses that served only to inflame him further.
He supposed there was a kind of justice to what Dorian said, but at this
rate the thief would drive him quite insane before he found release.

A pleasant while later, when Klaus was flushed and panting from the continued
teasing assaults on his cock, Dorian sat back on his heels and looked up
at the deliciously debauched figure the major made. Somehow he'd managed
to stay on his feet, but, Dorian decided, he would look even better if he
were horizontal. And there was a perfectly serviceable bed in the
room...

Gracefully, Dorian rose to his feet. He took the opportunity to kiss Klaus
again, now that he could reach his mouth, savouring the smoky flavour of
the major's pliant lips. When Dorian released him, he found Klaus was watching
him a little uncertainly. With a smile he caught hold of the major's hands
and tugged him gently in the direction of the bed.

After weighing the expression in Dorian's eyes for a long moment, Klaus followed
him obediently. It seemed strange that he should be naked when Dorian was
still fully clothed, but the thief appeared in no hurry to shed the skin-tight
leather. And he did look lovely in it - sleek and predatory.

Especially now, as he urged Klaus down onto the bed.

Once the major was stretched out on his back, Dorian moved
over him on all fours. He covered the inviting body with his own, pausing
from time to time to taste particularly enticing places with his lips and
tongue. He wanted to learn all the flavours of Klaus' skin, and so he took
his time about it. Eventually, though, Dorian was once again eye to eye with
his beloved major.

Swooping down, Dorian captured the still-moving lips with his own, kissing
Klaus until they were both breathless. When he sat back he found that large,
warm hands had come to rest questioningly on his thighs, rubbing softly.
He held still, letting Klaus touch where he wanted to.

One hand glided further upward, coming to rest at his groin. The wide palm
spread warmly over the unmistakable swell of his erection, pressing gently.
Dorian drew in a deep breath - it felt so very good - but he'd resolved to
keep things light and Klaus was coming perilously close to derailing that
intent.

"Mm, that feels nice, darling," he sighed.

"Then take this damned thing off and let me touch properly," Klaus ordered,
plucking at the tight leather.

Well, some things never changed. Even in the bedroom it seemed that Klaus
liked to give orders. But Dorian wasn't ready to follow them quite
yet.

"Ah, no, patience - remember?" he cautioned.

Klaus snorted. "I am feeling properly virtuous, I promise you."

Blue eyes slitted thoughtfully. "Are you sure about that? You don't
look very virtuous, darling. Somehow, lying flat on your back with
no clothes on and your very lovely cock pointing skyward doesn't quite fit
the bill, you know." Dorian tapped one slender forefinger against his pursed
lips. "Have you really been good, Klaus? Be truthful now..."

So, the blasted thief wanted to play games, did he? Fine. Klaus was used
to dealing with Dorian in that kind of mood. He set his own lips firmly in
a stubborn line as he looked up into brilliant blue eyes.

"What if I have not?" he demanded in a commanding voice.

A look of undiluted delight suddenly sparkled in those eyes as Dorian realised
that Klaus had decided to rise to his challenge.

"Why, then I shall just have to spank you, I suppose," he declared. A mischievous
grin tugged at the corners of his kiss-swollen lips. "That is what you do
to boys who misbehave, isn't it?" Dorian twirled his leather tail in mock
threat.

Klaus glared up at him, looking distinctly unimpressed.

In retaliation for the lack of proper respect, Dorian moistened the very
tip of his tail by sucking on it for a moment; then he slowly trailed the
forked strip of leather down the major's chest.

As the cool, wet touch teased first at his nipples and then dipped into his
navel, Klaus couldn't control his start of surprise. When the damp leather
was then dragged with excruciating care along the length of his aching cock,
he had to bite his lip hard to keep from moaning.

"Have you been good?" asked Dorian again, bending low over the lean form
of his darling major.

The heat of Dorian's body as it pressed against his and the sheer overwhelming
presence of the blond-haired thief were making Klaus want things he'd never
have dreamed of being possible - let alone desirable - before tonight. And,
strangely, the teasing expression in the man's eyes was somehow reassuring.
It made Klaus brave enough to reach for those unfamiliar possibilities. He
could trust Dorian.

And so grey-green eyes looked up steadily into the fair face poised just
inches above his own. A small smile played about the stern mouth and there
was a definite dare in the smoky voice as Klaus replied, "No, I have not.
What of it?"

Startled, Dorian abruptly sat back on his heels again. His eyes were wide
as he breathed, "Oh, darling, do you want to play?"

A slight widening of the enigmatic smile and the faint hint of a blush on
the fine cheek-bones were his only answer as Klaus settled himself back against
the pillows and awaited Dorian's response.

For just a second, Klaus wondered what the hell he thought he was doing,
but the eager leap his cock had given at the mere suggestion of Dorian daring
to spank him was enough to quiet his doubts - for the moment, at least.

And the black-clad demon with his improbable halo of sun-bright curls was
leaning close again, faint worry lines creasing his brow.

"You really want me to...?" he began, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

"Ja," Klaus interrupted calmly. If Dorian decided to talk this to death he'd
probably lose his nerve.

The blue stare measured his sincerity for a long moment more. Then Dorian
nodded sharply. "I believe you do," he whispered. "I never would have guessed...
Iron Klaus of all people. All right then, darling, I'm going to take you
at your word. Roll over."

As Dorian moved to the side, Klaus was quick to obey. He snagged a couple
of pillows, pulling them underneath him as he rolled. He felt a sudden temptation
to simply move his hips and thrust his cock into their soft, downy grip,
anything to bring some relief from the insidious ache at his groin.

He would have given in to it, but Dorian saw the small thrust he made - quickly
aborted - and without further hesitation his hand came down on Klaus' unprotected
buttocks in a quick, stinging slap.

"Oh no you don't, Major," he said sternly, dropping into his assumed role
with ease. "I won't have you taking pleasure until you've earned it - and
that will be when I decide. It seems you were right - you've been very bad."

Klaus swallowed the gasp which rose to his lips at the unexpectedness of
the first slap. He could feel the sting and the residual heat where Dorian's
hand had landed. It felt - strange; arousing at the same time as it was
humiliating. Which probably only went to prove that he was quite out of his
mind to have ever let himself get into this situation, Klaus decided.
Nevertheless, he buried his face in his arms and waited to see what Dorian
would do next.

For a long moment Dorian merely let his palm caress the smooth skin that
still bore the imprint of his fingers. He felt the taut muscles twitch at
his touch. Dorian raised his hand and let it fall sharply again, then once
more.

At each slap Dorian felt Klaus tense and draw in a harsh breath, but he remained
stoically silent. Dorian found himself wanting to break through that iron
reserve and make Klaus cry out. He continued to strike the muscular buttocks,
but still the major made no sound. The creamy-white skin was hot and red
from the repeated blows, and Dorian paused to admire his handiwork. He knew
he wasn't hitting hard enough to really hurt, but Klaus' backside had to
be stinging like crazy by now.

Bending low over Klaus, Dorian breathed cool air onto the heated skin and
watched the subtle clenching of the major's buttocks at the new sensation.

Klaus wriggled under the renewed blows, but still refused to utter a further
sound. It was a matter of principle.

"I can be just as stubborn as you," Dorian insisted. He brushed his palm
lightly over the reddened skin again, feeling its heat. All at once a small
smile curved his lips.

Bending down once again, Dorian tried a new tactic. His tongue stole out,
carefully laving Klaus' sore backside. The broad, wet strokes were intended
to both cool and inflame. Dorian took his sweet time about it, making sure
that not an inch of skin escaped his attention.

Klaus tensed and bit his lip, hard. Damn! That was unfair.

A moment later and Dorian decided to play even dirtier. His hands moved smoothly
over Klaus' buttocks in the wake of his tongue, caressing gently. As soon
as he felt the major begin to relax into the touch, Dorian spread the reddened
cheeks and delved between them with his tongue. He flicked at the virgin
ring of muscle and was rewarded with a sharp, startled gasp.

"Dorian!" protested Klaus, trying to roll away from the unexpected intrusion.
It felt warm, wet and utterly illicit. More than that Klaus wasn't prepared
to admit to.

With a pleased sigh, Dorian repeated the caress, holding Klaus firmly in
place as he did so. Finally a reaction! He licked the tight muscle several
more times and again Klaus reared up, but - whether he had intended it that
way or not - he was pressing into the touch now, not trying to escape it.

No longer able to control it, a desperate moan tore free of Klaus' throat.
It felt too damned good and he was just so close, but the thief refused
to set him free.

Hearing the abandoned moan Dorian smiled in triumph. He savoured the sound
and the deep, earthy musk of Klaus' body equally. Oh, who would have guessed
there was such passion underneath that seemingly impenetrable iron shell.
A delicious secret that had been waiting for someone like him, someone who
had the patience to discover it.

"Dorian, please!" Klaus begged, beyond pride now.

"Darling?" Dorian sat back and carefully rolled Klaus over, hearing the slight
trace of distress in his tone.

The moss-green eyes were wide and beseeching and Dorian found himself unwilling
to resist their silent demand any longer. Sliding down Klaus' lean body he
closed his mouth carefully over the fiery, swollen cock and, with all his
considerable skill, set about sucking Klaus to a hard, fast climax.

It didn't take long. In moments Klaus was arching up off the bed, taut as
a bowstring as he emptied himself into that long, pale throat. Breathless
as he was, he still gave voice to a loud groan of relief as the aching pressure
gave way to an intense pleasure that seemed to flood every limb. His head
pressed back into the pillow, black hair spread out in disorder on the crisp,
white cotton as he rode out the unexpectedly sweet sensations.

Dorian soothed him carefully as he swallowed every last precious drop. It
might be unwise, but Dorian trusted his love's abstinent nature to have kept
him clean. It was so much nicer this way, without the barrier of a condom
between him and Klaus' lovely salt-sweet skin. He'd worry about the necessity
of such things if - no, when - he and Klaus contemplated other means
of satisfaction.

As Klaus stilled, breathing harshly into the silence, Dorian let his softening
cock slip from between his lips. Flushed and tousled as he was, the major
looked the perfect picture of debauchery. Dorian decided the look suited
him rather better than that of the severely proper NATO officer. He grinned,
suddenly very pleased with himself. It had finally happened - at last he'd
had Klaus and the man had been utterly wonderful, surprising in a whole host
of ways. He had definitely been worth the long wait.

Glancing up, Dorian found he was being studied closely by intent green eyes,
half veiled by dark lashes.

Klaus' hand was still resting carefully over his groin and, arching his back,
Dorian pressed into that touch. Now that the major's needs had been taken
care of, Dorian was once again becoming aware of his own.

"Mm, that feels nice, darling," Dorian murmured as the strong fingers began
to move. They were kneading his erection quite deliciously through the supple
leather.

The suit had undoubtedly been an excellent idea - it had certainly made Klaus
sit up and really take notice at last - but it was rapidly becoming over
hot and positively constricting now. It was time to orchestrate a picturesque
means of removing it - if it would still come off by the time Klaus had finished
playing with him! The major seemed utterly fascinated by the way his cock
had swollen and filled out the tight leather. He didn't seem to want to stop
touching, stroking, squeezing...

All of which was very nice, but it was only going to make life more difficult
when it came to getting naked. Dorian was very glad the leather was as soft
and flexible as it was or he'd probably be feeling quite pained by now. Added
to which, there was a very real possibility of him simply exploding before
he managed to get out of the suit if Klaus kept on fondling him that way.
And he had such an utterly delicious look of focused concentration on his
face... Ohh, the man was beautiful, and such a revelation!

Not that any of that altered the fact that getting certain kinds of stains
out of leather would be hell. Dorian grimaced at the positively unaesthetic
prospect and reached down to carefully grasp Klaus' wrist, stilling the movement
of that maddening hand.

Klaus looked up from his study of Dorian's crotch, a trace of uncertainty
in his moss-green eyes.

"It's all right, darling." Dorian forestalled the question he could see in
that hesitant gaze. "That feels lovely, but the touch of your hands on bare
skin would feel even better, you know."

"It - it would?" More hesitancy.

"Of course it would. Didn't it feel just wonderful when I touched you?" Dorian
asked.

Klaus ducked his head, abruptly embarrassed at the memory of just how Dorian
had touched him, and how good it had all felt. Finally he nodded.

"Well then, turnabout is fair play, love," said Dorian with an artful pout.

"How do I get you out of the damned thing?" Klaus seemed perplexed as he
raised his head to look the outfit over once more.

Dorian gave a silvery laugh. "Here, sit up and I'll show you," he said, tugging
gently at Klaus' wrist before letting go.

Slowly, Klaus pulled himself upright, his limbs still feeling heavy from
the pleasure that had so recently flowed through them. Dorian was watching
him expectantly and when Klaus had settled himself in a comfortable sitting
position the thief scooted nearer, still kneeling. They were close enough
to one another for Klaus to feel the heat pouring off the other man's body
and to smell the scent of roses mixed with the far more prosaic tang of sweat
and the heavier musk of arousal. It made him feel dizzy and Klaus reached
out to steady himself, his fingers tangling in the mass of blond curls that
framed Dorian's face.

Dorian sighed and swayed closer towards him.

When he was that near it seemed a shame not to close the space that remained
between them and cover that clever mouth with his own. So, once again, Klaus
gave in to that temptation. The lips were just as soft and warm as they'd
been earlier, but instead of tasting of wine they tasted of salt and a faintly
bitter earthiness. Klaus shuddered as he realised just where Dorian's lips
had acquired those particular flavours from.

He would have pulled away, but Dorian sensed his imminent retreat and didn't
let him go. Aware of the hesitation, and guessing its source, Dorian sealed
his lips more firmly against Klaus'. His tongue pressed for entrance and
Klaus didn't deny him. Dorian liked to share the intimate tastes of a lover's
body with them, and Klaus was no exception. He flicked the tip of his tongue
over Klaus' encouraging him to respond.

Tightening the grip his fingers had in Dorian's hair, Klaus did. Pushing
down the feeling of strangeness, of doing something illicit and outright
wrong, he slid his tongue over Dorian's, learning what he tasted like on
another's skin. It was strangely - exciting. Caught up in the sensation he
pressed into Dorian's mouth, finding the traces of bitter saltiness that
he knew were from himself.

Would the thief taste the same if he did for Dorian what Dorian had done
for him? It wasn't an unpleasant flavour, more - unfamiliar. But more to
the point, could he muster the skill to do it right and to please Dorian?
It mattered to him that what he did should please the other man and Klaus
had never been more uncomfortably aware of his own inexperience in this
particular area. Though Dorian had been marvellously patient with him thus
far.

Attempting to put off the decision a little longer, Klaus delved deeper into
the kiss. He pulled Dorian close against him, one hand still buried in the
riot of curls, the other stroking distractedly down his back to the tempting
swell of leather-clad buttocks.

He would have kept at it indefinitely, but Dorian's hands rose between them,
coming to rest on his chest. Carefully, but firmly, the thief pushed at him
until he leaned back a little, creating a breathing space.

"Klaus, enough," Dorian panted. "This is all very lovely, but I really do
want to get out of this suit."

Breathing just as heavily, Klaus reluctantly released his hold on Dorian.
"Show me," he demanded.

Catching up one of the major's hands, Dorian drew it slowly up, over his
chest to the base of his throat. "There," he directed.

Carefully, Klaus let his fingers explore again - Dorian had a long, graceful
neck and the black leather emphasised its elegant lines. Where leather gave
way to pale, creamy skin Klaus found the edge of the concealed zipper that
sealed the devil inside his tight costume. Latching onto the fastener -
predictably small and fiddly, Dorian had clearly opted for form over function
- Klaus began to work it downwards.

He watched in fascination as the leather steadily parted, revealing more
and more of that perfect white skin. As provocatively as Dorian had often
dressed in the past, Klaus had never seen quite this much of him. His chest
was perfectly smooth and surprisingly well-muscled. Though Klaus knew he
shouldn't have been surprised. He'd seen Dorian at work often enough to know
what he was capable of, and those feats had required strength as well as
skill.

When Klaus had the zipper undone as far as his waist, Dorian began to wriggle
carefully, working the leather down off his shoulders. He was hot under the
suit and it clung to him with sticky tenacity, the downside of having had
it made quite so tight. Still, he considered the awkwardness of removing
it a small price to pay for having finally tempted Klaus into his bed.

Seeing the trouble Dorian was having, Klaus abandoned the zipper in favour
of helping the thief peel the black leather off of his torso. The decision
gave him the added benefit of being able to touch the warm, sweat-damp skin
and trace out the strong lines of Dorian's body.

And if Dorian found the big hands to be as much a hindrance as a help he
wasn't about to complain. Klaus was touching him. Finally. Willingly, without
prompting and with an unexpected gentleness. It was so much nicer than the
rough handling and violence he'd endured from the major over the years. Broad
palms stroked down his chest and as the gun calluses dragged enticingly over
his taut nipples Dorian shivered in sheer delight.

"Are you cold?" Green eyes looked up, all solicitousness.

"Oh no," Dorian assured him with a smile. "Your hands just feel so wonderful
on me, Klaus. Don't stop."

"I thought you wanted me to get you out of this costume. I can't do both."
Klaus frowned.

"You've been managing quite nicely up to now," Dorian giggled.

Klaus snorted. It was such a familiar sound, so typical of the major that
Dorian laughed again in sheer delight.

"What's so funny?" Klaus demanded.

"Nothing," Dorian replied giddily. "It's all just so wonderful I couldn't
help it. Oh, darling, I do love you so."

Klaus gave a long-suffering sigh. "So you have always said."

"Surely you believe me now." Dorian looked incredulous.

"I have no idea what to believe any more." Klaus stared at him, abruptly
serious. "I always believed that I hated what you were, what you were offering
and yet..." Klaus shrugged, clearly troubled. "Give me time, Dorian. This
is all just too much for me to take in at once."

Dorian blinked, his blue eyes wide and equally serious. "Of course, darling,
I... Do you want to stop? I can leave if you'd prefer."

"Well, damped it down a little, at the very least," Dorian admitted, a rueful
smile touching his mouth.

Klaus brushed his thumb gently across Dorian's lips, as if he hoped he could
wipe away the sudden seriousness with that touch. And, perhaps, he could.

Tentatively, Dorian's tongue stole out, curling around Klaus' thumb. When
the man gave a pleased-sounding sigh, Dorian opened his mouth and sucked
the digit inside. He nipped at the pad and suckled the tip until Klaus was
left wondering why the hell he'd ever had any doubts at all.

"I'd say that put the mood right back where it should be," said Klaus, his
voice husky.

Dorian's lips smiled around their mouthful and then let go. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Klaus reached down and, with a thoughtful expression on his face, carefully
pressed the wet thumb to one of Dorian's nipples. When the thief gave a startled
gasp Klaus moved it around the tight nub in slow, lazy circles. Once the
moisture was gone, sunk into the overly hot skin of Dorian's chest, Klaus
brought the thumb up to his own mouth. He wet it again so that he could repeat
the treatment on the other nipple.

Dorian closed his eyes blissfully and just let the sensations wash over him.
The gentle circling pressure and the cool wetness on overheated skin felt
delightful. Oh, Klaus had a natural talent for the sensual once you got past
that repressed facade. Of course, under the guidance of an expert sensualist
like himself he would soon be an absolutely wonderful lover. Dorian was most
definitely looking forward to teaching Klaus everything he needed to know.

In the meantime, the major had turned his attention back to removing the
devil costume. And, ever a man of direct action, he decided that the simplest
way of peeling Dorian out of the constricting leather was to grab hold of
the cuffs and pull, hard.

Eyes flying open as all thoughts of bliss fled, Dorian let go a distinctly
unaesthetic stream of curses as the tight leather threatened to take off
half the skin on his arms at the same time. So much for the sensual...

Klaus looked more than a little startled by the uncharacteristic language
coming out of Dorian's mouth. Apparently the thief had been paying close
attention to some of his more vituperative tirades!

Despite his discomfort, Dorian nearly laughed at the comical expression of
surprise on his love's face. "Sorry," he said breathlessly, "I wasn't expecting
that."

"Maybe you shouldn't have had this damned suit made so tight," Klaus grumbled.

"Well, you seemed to appreciate the fit earlier," Dorian reminded him tartly.
He groped for, and found, the long leather tail amidst the rumpled bedding
and flourished it at Klaus with a coquettish smile.

"Hmph, bloody exhibitionist!" Klaus groused, but the gleam in his eyes gave
away the fact that he was teasing. Oh yes, he'd certainly appreciated the
way the leather clung to Dorian's body all right.

"I only hope you're not going to be so abrupt when you take the suit the
rest of the way off," Dorian told him sternly. "That would certainly put
a crimp in my style."

Klaus chuckled darkly. "And we can't have that now, can we? Never let it
be said that Eroica was anything less than stylish."

He caught hold of the tail as Dorian waved it under his nose to emphasise
his point. Winding it around his hand he reeled Dorian in close enough for
another quick brush of lips. He pulled back when the thief tried to deepen
the kiss, depositing the leather tail in a neat coil in Dorian's lap.

"You're a cruel man, Klaus." Dorian shook his head, glad to see the major's
odd sense of humour surfacing once more.

It showed that he was clearly feeling more at ease and that was what Dorian
wanted - along with his own satisfaction, of course. But that was far more
likely to be accomplished with the help of a mellow Klaus, rather than with
the uptight, repressed major who he'd been afraid might reappear again, just
a while ago. After all, this turn of events had forced Klaus into a decidedly
steep learning curve and Dorian had no idea where his limits might be.

"'s never seemed to bother you before," observed Klaus, in response to Dorian's
teasing accusation. His dry tone made it clear there was a serious intent
behind the statement.

"The fact that I didn't let a few punches deter me from chasing you doesn't
mean I'm a masochist, darling," Dorian informed him sharply. He rubbed his
still-stinging arms a little. "Besides, I always knew you only did it for
appearances; you didn't really mean it."

Klaus gave another non-commital snort. "What does it mean then? That you're
an idiot? I always told you that."

Dorian's smile was indulgent. He tossed his golden curls away from his face
with a practised gesture. "No, just that I'm determined. I thought you knew
that, Klaus. What I want, I get - always."

"Took you long enough this time," said Klaus, favouring the thief with a
bland stare.

"Tell me about it," groused Dorian. "I don't believe I ever set my heart
on anyone so stubborn before! But, fortunately for you, I do love a challenge,
so..."

"So?" Klaus feigned nonchalance.

"It was worth every last bruise and shred of persistence it took to win you,"
replied Dorian, his expression serene.

Klaus' hands were busy again, stroking slowly over smooth, sweat-slick skin.
It felt good to touch, contrary to his previous expectations. Dorian contributed
to the sensations, arching against his palms and making small, encouraging
sounds that guided Klaus to the sweetest spots. And when fingertips alone
weren't enough, so that Klaus simply had to lower his head and sample the
salt-sweet skin with lips and tongue, the sounds rapidly increased in both
volume and urgency.

There was nothing of serenity on Dorian's face now as big, strong hands glided
over his chest and down to the quivering muscles of his stomach. And what
Klaus' mouth was doing to his composure as it nuzzled and bit lightly at
the base of his throat was probably illegal - or, at least, ought to be.

Dorian reached up and caught hold of Klaus' shoulders in a firm grip. Then
he wriggled until he'd managed to get his legs out from underneath him. The
sleek, dark head raised in question and almost at once Dorian missed the
warm, wet pressure of those lips on his neck. Before Klaus had a chance to
ask what he was doing, Dorian rolled onto his back, neatly pulling Klaus
down on top of him.

The wide, green eyes looked momentarily startled, but the expression in them
quickly changed.

With a grin, Dorian watched Klaus coming to a swift appreciation of the
advantages of their new position. And Dorian was no less appreciative. The
feel of all that solid, heavy muscle blanketing him was quite delicious,
as was the serendipitous pressure on his swollen cock. Dorian thrust up against
the perfectly placed thigh with a very pleased sigh.

"Oh no you don't," muttered Klaus, scooting back enough to put temptation
out of Dorian's reach. He pointedly ignored the thief's disgruntled pout.

In a neat juxtaposition, Dorian was now the one on his back with Klaus, on
all fours, looming over him and very much in control of the situation. Though,
in Klaus' considered opinion, Dorian was still wearing far too much in the
way of clothing. Then again, with Dorian stretched out like that, it ought
to be much easier to remedy the fact.

Sliding all the way back down to the end of the bed, Klaus first divested
Dorian of the showy black ankle boots he'd been wearing and the soft cotton
socks underneath. Then he crawled back up and went in search of the fiddly
zip fastener once more. All the while he was very aware of the weight of
Dorian's heated gaze on him, but Klaus didn't let himself be distracted.
His fingers found the zipper and carefully tugged it down the last few inches
from the thief's waist to his well-filled crotch.

Klaus felt his mouth go dry as he considered just exactly what he was going
to do once he had managed to peel Dorian out of the tight leather. For now,
he forced himself to simply concentrate on the pure mechanics of achieving
that goal.

Dorian was near-silent, but co-operative. He raised his hips at Klaus' urging
and wriggled picturesquely until the suit had been carefully worked down
to his thighs. He gave a soft sigh of relief as the tightness around his
aching cock was eased. His underwear was still on - just - but the silk thong
was hardly constricting at all. Dorian wondered what Klaus thought of that
sartorial choice and decided it probably wasn't repeatable. He couldn't repress
a grin as he tried to imagine the major similarly attired. It was a positively
enticing mental image and Dorian resolved to buy his love some silk underwear
- steel grey, of course - at the earliest possible opportunity.

Meanwhile, Klaus was slowly easing the leather suit down Dorian's slim, shapely
legs, being very careful not to take any skin with it. The fine, silky blond
hairs that brushed against his palm were yet another sharp reminder of just
who he was undressing and Klaus tried to suppress the faint tremor that shivered
through him.

"Klaus?" The light voice was too knowing, too understanding of his uncertainties,
so Klaus ignored it.

He finally succeeded in pulling the black leather all the way off and it
dropped over the edge of the bed and onto the floor with a serpentine slither.
The forked tail was the last part of it to disappear from view. And then
there was no reason left for Klaus not to turn around and face his own personal
demon.

Dorian was watching him a little warily and Klaus avoided the sharp blue
eyes, focusing instead on the utterly frivolous slip of silk that the thief
had the temerity to call underwear.

"What the hell is the point of wearing that?" Klaus blurted out the first
thing that came into his head.

Dorian laughed softly. "You expected me to wear nothing underneath?"

Glancing up at the amused tone, Klaus was snared by the heated blue gaze.
"You might just as well."

"Oh, darling, I can tell you haven't worn leather very often. That would
chafe terribly," murmured Dorian, his voice teasing. "And silk is so lovely
and soft, why don't you feel..." Dorian tilted his hips artfully and Klaus
swallowed hard seeing the result.

The tiny scrap of silk barely covered Dorian, especially now. Of course,
the vain thief wouldn't have wanted to spoil the lines of his incredibly
tight leather with the wrong sort of underwear, would he? Klaus shook his
head. Trust Dorian to wear something so ridiculous and impractical, so...
sexy.

The black silk clung to the thief like a second skin, damp with sweat and...
Klaus' mind shied away from thinking about what else had damped the delicate
fabric. But he couldn't drag his eyes away from that small piece of silk
that draped every contour, clearly defining the outline of Dorian's swollen
cock.

Emboldened by that breathless order, Klaus increased the pressure of his
hand, stroking more firmly along the silk-shrouded length. It was hot and
damp and seemed to fit his palm as if it belonged there. Klaus decided not
to dwell on that particular thought, his world-view had already been expanded
enough for one day. Instead he concentrated on every nuance of the soft gasps
and moans that were coming from Dorian's throat.

"Darling..."

Klaus looked up, taking in the delightful rosy flush that stained Dorian's
cheeks and the way his blond curls spread out on the pillow as he tossed
his head restlessly. The man looked more like an angel than a devil, albeit
a thoroughly debauched angel.

"What?" Klaus couldn't find it in him to be other than his usual, abrupt
self.

"Direct as always, my love." Dorian gave a breathy laugh. "But I think you
know what I want."

Klaus' hand had stilled and Dorian thrust up against it once more, pressing
the damp silk to his skin. Ah, yes...

Taking a steadying breath, Klaus locked gazes with the blond-haired thief.
Then he hooked his fingers into the delicate straps that held the thong in
place. He gave a gentle tug and Dorian's eyes darkened imperceptibly.

Oh my...

A second tug, much firmer, and the material parted easily. Dorian blinked
and thought that he might just come then and there, but that would be such
a waste after all his hard-fought control. All the same, he was breathing
hard as, with a sudden feral smile, Klaus peeled the ruined garment from
him. And when a warm hand finally closed over bare flesh Dorian had to clench
his fingers tightly into the sheets to keep himself from simply dragging
Klaus down on top of him and fucking them both into oblivion.

There was a faintly smug smile playing around Klaus' lips as he watched Dorian's
struggle for control. Well, the thief had played him until he'd all but begged,
so it was only fair. Though Dorian had at least had the advantage of knowing
what he was doing. Klaus wasn't sure he had that luxury; only instinct and
the knowledge of what had brought him pleasure. Was that what Dorian had
meant, when he'd said that Klaus knew what he wanted?

Klaus kept his hand moving, trying to mimic the rhythm of stroking that he
liked when he gave in to temptation and touched himself. Carefully he lowered
his body to the bed, settling as comfortably as he could, curled at Dorian's
side.

Feeling Klaus move, Dorian looked down to find the major with his face scant
inches from his groin. He was close enough that Dorian could feel the warmth
of his breath ghosting over his hip.

"Oh, Klaus," he murmured, reaching out to thread his fingers in the dark
silk of the other man's hair. The major was certainly proving to be a quick
study.

Klaus looked up sharply at the touch. "This is what you want, isn't it?"
he asked.

A warning growl was directed at him for his pains. Then, a moment later,
Dorian almost forgot how to breathe as well.

With admirable directness, Klaus once again set about proving the adage that
actions speak louder than words. Propping himself up on one elbow he leaned
over Dorian and, steadying the thief's cock with his hand, simply closed
his lips around the head and sucked firmly. There was nothing subtle or practised
about the caress, but it was no less effective for all that. A surge of pre-come
hit his tongue, a little bitter, a little salty. Klaus carefully lapped at
the source, trying to decide if he cared for the taste.

Dorian curled his fingers even tighter into the rumpled sheets, dangerously
close to tearing them. Christ! What Klaus lacked in experience he certainly
made up for in enthusiasm. Dorian whimpered as an agile tongue flickered
over the very tip of his cock, teasing at the slit, tasting him. He really
wasn't going to last much longer at this rate.

Releasing the abused sheet, Dorian let his hands return to petting Klaus'
hair. It was soft and warm against his fingers as he threaded them into the
shining fall. He curved one hand around the back of Klaus' head, gently
encouraging him to slide his mouth down further.

Klaus was well aware of the careful pressure on his scalp, but for the moment
he resisted it. He wanted to explore the flared head of Dorian's cock with
his lips and tongue, chasing after more of that musky flavour. It hadn't
taken him long to decide he did like it after all. But he compromised by
letting his hands stroke and squeeze the swollen shaft and heavy balls, hearing
the broken moans and sighs his actions drew from Dorian. It was intoxicating.
To hear those helpless sounds and know that Dorian was making them because
of him, because of what he was doing.

The hands in his hair grew more insistent, their grip a little desperate.
Under his own hands, Klaus could feel Dorian writhing, trying to buck up
off the bed.

"Hush," he breathed, releasing the swollen cock from his mouth. He was suddenly
aware that Dorian's frantic movements might choke him. "Dorian, be still."

The wide eyes were all dark pupil and the delicate blush had now suffused
all the creamy-white skin. With his bright hair utterly disordered, Dorian
looked more beautiful than Klaus had ever seen him. And more vulnerable.
The elegant hands tugged at him again, and Klaus gave in to their pull.

He planted his own broad palms firmly across Dorian's hips to keep him from
thrusting too forcefully. Then he lowered his mouth over the slick column
of the man's cock once more.

The sound Dorian made then was both needy and relieved. He moaned as the
hot wetness surrounded him, taking him in more deeply than before. Klaus
was controlling his movements carefully, making sure he couldn't thrust up
too far, but that didn't matter. The tight suction and the curl of Klaus'
tongue around him were more than enough and Dorian finally let go of the
last shreds of his control.

Warmth and sensation spread out from his groin along every nerve and Dorian
found an added pleasure in crying out Klaus' name as he came. The hot mouth
sucked enthusiastically as he spilled and Dorian spared a brief second to
wonder if he'd died and gone to heaven. But the hands holding him felt too
solid and real as Dorian let the waves of pleasure crash over him. His fingers
tightened in silky hair and then loosened as the post-orgasmic languor began
to weigh down his limbs. Eventually, the grip required too much effort altogether
and his arms fell heavily onto the mattress.

Dorian lay back, panting and feeling his heartbeat continue to race. With
a last lazy lick along his shaft the mouth that had brought him such delicious
release slid away and his cock, as limp and wrung out as the rest of him,
fell back onto the tight blond curls at his groin. A quick kiss was dropped
onto one sharp hip bone and then the mattress shifted. Without looking, Dorian
knew that Klaus had withdrawn.

For a long moment Dorian lay there with his heart in his mouth. Had Klaus
hated what they'd done? It hadn't felt as though he had... Then Dorian heard
the sound of a tap running in the bathroom and let out a long breath he hadn't
consciously been aware of holding. A minute or two later the bed dipped again
as Klaus returned and Dorian finally risked opening his eyes.

Klaus didn't look displeased. In fact, the content expression he'd worn earlier
had returned. He smiled slightly as his eyes found Dorian's.

Dorian smiled back.

"Darling..."

With an emphatic shake of his head Klaus silenced him. "No talking," he insisted
firmly. "Not now. It's late; we should sleep."

"But the party..." Dorian tried again.

"Has doubtless managed quite well in our absence," replied Klaus calmly.
He didn't mention that his subordinates would probably have been infinitely
more comfortable without his presence. "Now, I don't know about you, but
I am tired."

"I suppose I am," Dorian agreed, feeling the warm afterglow start to retreat.
Ah well, it had been nice while it lasted. He began to sit up, carefully
swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"Dorian..." A hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Where are you going?"

"To find my clothes. I'm not going out there naked." Dorian thought he managed
to keep the bitterness out of his voice quite well, considering.

"But..." Klaus sounded uncertain again. "Why do you want to leave?"

Dorian turned, his eyes startled as they locked with Klaus'. "I don't. I
just... I thought... Don't you want me to go? After all, how's it
going to look if anyone sees me leaving your room in the morning?"

"No, I don't want you to leave." Klaus' voice was soft, but quietly determined.
"Dorian, you saw how much they were all drinking. Tonight no one is going
to remember who slept where. We may not have that luxury very often..."

Quickly leaning over, Dorian gave Klaus a thorough but gentle kiss, not trying
to fan the flames of desire any more. "Well, hold that thought, darling,"
he said when he finally drew away. "I'm just going to wash up a bit and then
I'll be back."

Klaus nodded, not speaking, and watched as Dorian headed into the bathroom.
He wasn't entirely sure what he was thinking or feeling at that moment, but
it seemed - right that Dorian should stay. How he would feel about it in
the morning he had no idea, but that was tomorrow's problem.

To distract himself, Klaus set about straightening up the disordered bed.
It would feel strange enough to share it with another person without the
discomfort of sleeping on tangled sheets. Though Klaus decided he liked the
warm tingling sensation he felt as he remembered, in detail, how it had got
into that state. The reminiscent smile was still on his lips when he turned
at the sound of the bathroom door opening again.

Dorian came close and kissed him again, wrapping his arms around Klaus' waist.
"Someone looks pleased with himself," he teased lightly.

"Ja," Klaus agreed, pulling Dorian against him for a long moment, simply
to bask in the pleasure of touching warm skin. Then he released him, absently
directing Dorian towards the remade bed as he went to turn off the light.

Dorian needed no further invitation, sliding between the sheets as the room
was plunged into darkness.

Klaus found his way back across the room in the dark with the ease of
familiarity. But there was nothing familiar about the sensation of warm arms
pulling him close as he slipped under the covers. Or the brush of soft hair
against his cheek and the scent of roses and musk that came to him with every
breath.

It was strange, and Klaus was certain he would never manage to sleep in the
midst of all that strangeness. Nevertheless, he let himself be arranged where
Dorian wanted him - after all, the thief would know what was comfortable
when two people shared a bed, wouldn't he? And there was no reason for Dorian
not to sleep just because Klaus couldn't...

It was the last coherent thought Klaus had as sleep overtook him with scant
regard for his concerns. And it quickly dragged him down to a place without
dreams.

Dorian remained awake a little longer, feeling the moment that Klaus drifted
off, his breathing evening out into the steady cadence of sleep. He wanted
to enjoy the rare opportunity to simply watch his major as he slept, the
stern features completely relaxed for once. He tried gamely to keep his eyes
open, but the warmth and the closeness dragged at his consciousness and it
was only a few minutes later that Dorian succumbed to sleep as well.

Downstairs the party continued unabated, the remaining participants too drunk
or, in an occasional rare case, too tactful to notice the absence of their
unwilling host and his most problematic guest. It went on in that vein, noisy
and boisterous, until midnight was nothing but a distant memory. Tired and,
now, even more drunk, the Alphabet retained just enough collective brain
cells to deduce that attempting to find their respective ways home was a
very bad idea. Giving in to the demands of sleep, they simply bedded down
wherever seemed quiet and undisturbed.

Silence finally reigned in Schloss Eberbach. Doubtless it wouldn't last,
but for now the sleepers did not care what morning might bring, whether it
would be discord or goodwill.

[A short sequel, dealing with a few - loose ends is planned. Just don't hold
me to when it might be done! ;-)]